The Delhi government will conduct a large-scale mock drill exercise, ‘Operation Abhyas’, at 55 locations across the city on Wednesday, including Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport, Khan Market and Birla Vidya Niketan in Pushp Vihar. The exercise is part of a nationwide simulation ordered by the Union Home Ministry on May 5, following heightened India-Pakistan tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack.

The mock drill is designed to simulate various hostile scenarios, including air raids with siren activation and blackout procedures, urban fires, search and rescue operations, casualty evacuations, temporary medical setups, and civilian relocation to safe zones or bunkers.



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In Delhi, the exercise will be conducted from 4 to 7 pm, with schools holding their drills earlier, between 9 am and noon. Civil defence, police, fire, and medical departments will be actively involved, with the day concluding in blackout and siren demonstrations.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, speaking ahead of the drill, said Delhi is “fully prepared,” noting that every detail is being executed in line with Central guidelines.

Citywide Rollout

The drill will take place in all 11 districts of Delhi, with five locations selected per district. Authorities will cover 660 schools and 40 markets. For example, the New Delhi district will see exercises at Khan Market, Palika Kendra, Charak Palika Hospital, Vasant Vihar’s D-6 colony, and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantonment. South Delhi’s list includes Select City Walk mall and Saket District Court, while Lajpat Nagar Central Market and Apollo Hospital are among the sites in Southeast Delhi.

District magistrates (DMs) will lead the exercises. “Delhi has been included in this first-of-its-kind drill to test civil defence readiness against hostile threats,” according to meeting minutes from the Revenue and Divisional Commissioner.

Authorities are also upgrading emergency alert infrastructure. Existing sirens — limited to 200–300 metres — will be replaced or supplemented with systems capable of reaching up to 4–5 km. A total of 500 sirens will be installed across the city.

Protocol and Preparedness

A comprehensive drill blueprint has been developed with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), covering multi-level responses — from the city and district to the community and household levels. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be shared with all relevant departments, Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs), and institutions.

In addition, civil defence training will be provided to students and civilians, with awareness videos on procedures like blackout safety already prepared.

The Education Department and the Delhi District Management Authority have been tasked with school-level sensitisation and coordination with groups like the NCC, NSS, and Nehru Yuva Kendra. The Power and Health departments will oversee blackout zones and ensure emergency medical readiness. About 1,800 ‘Aapda Mitras’ (Disaster Volunteers) will receive advanced training through an NDMA-recommended agency.

Hourly updates from district-level operations will be sent to the state war room and the Directorate General of Civil Defense’s control room.

Security Measures and Expansion to NCR

Delhi Police have ramped up patrolling, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Central Delhi and Delhi Cantonment. A Long Range Acoustic Device (LARD) — capable of emitting high-decibel sound for crowd control — will be deployed at police headquarters near Parliament Street and may be used during the drill.

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In nearby NCR cities:

  • Gurgaon: Control rooms are active at the Mini Secretariat. Schools will conduct awareness sessions, a relief operations area will be set up at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, and blackouts will occur later in the evening.
  • Faridabad: District and sub-divisional offices, police stations, and hospitals will participate. Officials are focusing on emergency and disaster preparedness at all levels, including rural areas.
  • Ghaziabad and Noida: In Ghaziabad, 10 schools and colleges will host the drill at 10 am, led by civil defence teams. Noida police confirmed their readiness for the exercise.